My Life

Chapter Four

JD groaned as he woke up slowly. This whole shooting thing was going to completely kill his bio-clock. He squeezed his eyes shut, not sure he wanted to know what time it was. He registered a heavy weight draped across his stomach and something pressing into his good hip.

A frown spread across his face. There was something…fuzzy under his part of his hand.

His first thought was that Turk had put some kind of small, barnyard animal on his lap to do another World's Tallest Doctor scene with again, but then shook his head. Maybe Elliot had put something dead in his bed to convince him that being a vegetarian really wasn't that bad.

JD finally opened his eyes and his heart managed to shove itself into his throat and stomach at the same time. Perry's arm was draped across his stomach, his head was resting against his hip…

And dear god, he put my hand around his neck…and he's still holding my hand…oh my god, I think the apocalypse is going to happen, and I'm stuck in a bed…I haven't even met Tara Reid yet…

A small flash blinded him for a moment and he glared at the offender.

Jordan flipped her cell phone closed. Her eyes were red around the edges, and if JD wasn't mistaken…that was a bite mark on her neck.

"Now you see, DJ, this has just made my day," Jordan said pleasantly enough in quiet tones so Perry wouldn't wake. "I want to talk to you."

Remembering something Perry had once said, JD raised an eyebrow. "Feel free; I'm not obligated to listen."

"Oh, it's so cute how you're already quoting him, Baby Spice!" Jordan said cheerfully. She'd taken enough aspirin an hour ago to kill a horse's headache as it was. "I was married to the man, DJ, I think I know the things he says when he wants to avoid talking."

JD sighed. "What do you want, Jordan? And why in the name of Rowdy are you so cheerful? Did you hit a small child on your way to work?"

Jordan tapped her chin. "An old woman actually…I got ten points; she had a walker."

JD conceded to that with a side nod.

"I want to know how Perry's doing," Jordan said firmly and snapped another photo with a different cell phone.

"How many cell phones do you carry?" JD asked with an odd look on his face that clearly said Jordan had officially gone mental along with her ex-husband.

"Oh, just this one. Your bodyguard made me take it for him," Jordan said quickly with a wave of her hand.

Perry stirred slightly on the bed.

"So look, DJ," Jordan went on, walking briskly over to the unoccupied side of the bed. "How is he? You're the only one who seems to know, and you're not telling anyone."

JD frowned at her. "Pardon me for being shot and under pain meds and sedatives for the past few days…speaking of, be a dear and grab a doctor to give me some more Demerol, would ya?"

Jordan frowned at that. "Now that was just rude." The impatient look dropped off her face and she crossed her arms as she stared at the sleeping man beside of JD. "Well?"

JD shrugged. "I can't really say. Sometimes he wants my help, other times I'm lucky if he doesn't punch me."

Jordan nodded. "Sounds familiar," she murmured, tapping a finger against her arm. "He's been pretty crazy then?"

The snort that followed next made Jordan raise an eyebrow. "That's an understatement."

"How long are they planning to keep you locked up?"

JD shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, and you don't have any letters after your name indicating a medical profession. Dr. Imus wants me to go back to surgery to replace my kneecap with some fancy metal thing that looks like it might either be really fun or really painful."

Jordan nodded, tucking the thought away for later. "Is he still using?"

"I think so, but that's just…"

"Ah, ah, that's all I wanted to know," Jordan interrupted him. "You are trying to help him get through this, JD, aren't you?"

"I'm trying. But it's like I said. Sometimes I get through to him, and the rest of the time, I'm lucky if he's not screaming or locked in the bathroom."

A frown flitted over Jordan's face. That was a new symptom she hadn't heard before.

"I think the sooner they find the guy, the faster he'll get better," JD finished. "I think it's keeping him from really trusting himself to get better. I have to fight him as it is to get him to believe that everything's going to be okay eventually."

"When was the last time you told him that, DJ?" Jordan asked warily.

JD opened his mouth, and promptly shut it again.

"Look, who's dragging their feet on this one?" she asked as Perry mumbled something in his sleep.

"Why are you caring so much?" JD asked with a frown. "Last time I checked, you were fond enough of me to sleep with me to get to Perry, and then after that, you don't exactly care for either of us."

Elliot passed by the window and looked in on JD. When she saw Jordan, her face went the color of a fire engine and she sped off.

Jordan sighed and looked at him. "A friend called in a favor, JD."

JD watched Elliot walk off, and opened his mouth to ask.

"Don't." Jordan sighed and the impatient look was back. "Now who's dragging their feet and what do you know about this guy?"

"Pull up a chair," JD sighed. "He'll be out for another hour," he said, referring to Perry. "He never wakes up here before ten."

Jordan pushed a chair forward and sat back. "I've got time."

"What about Jack?"

"I've made plans," Jordan said quickly. She decided to omit that it was Carla picking up Jack now, and that Elliot would be watching him that afternoon.

JD nodded and decided not to ask. "Look, the guy isn't so much a sociopath as he has DID."

Jordan waved a hand. "And that is…?"

"Disassociative Identity Disorder," JD elaborated. "My psych rotation was a really long time ago, so you'll have to read or talk to someone else about…"

"I know what it is," Jordan replied sharply. "So the guy's a nut job."

"Putting it mildly as the biggest understatement of the year," JD replied. "His disorder was a result of a traumatic experience. I think he was a first-responder volunteer to that fire near Carla and Turk's apartment. You remember where they found him?"

Jordan gave a ghost of a quirky smile. "I remember someone ripping the cop boss a new one."

JD looked sheepish. The pain was getting stronger, but he wanted to remain lucid.

"His father died in that fire, and I think that he barely got out of the building before it collapsed. A bunch of people died in it. As a result, he's taking himself away from the situation and creating personalities who are better equipped to deal with it."

Jordan frowned. "So he's a nut job."

JD raised an eyebrow. "Do I really need to repeat myself on how crazy this guy really is? Look what he did to Perry."

Perry grunted in his sleep at that, but Jordan nodded.

"The night he shot me, Perry told the cops that he walked out of the parking lot and went left. If it was my guess…I'm no detective, but if it was my guess, I'd say that he'd head for somewhere he feels safe or confident. I don't think he's stupid enough to go back to the building where they found Perry."

"Unless the guy he was when he was beating Perry up isn't the one that he is now," Jordan pointed out. "Who's dragging their feet on looking for him?"

JD smiled at the beautiful thought that Lieutenant Renicki could now add Jordan Sullivan to his list of people to avoid during an investigation.

"So there's this fat guy…"

XXXXXXXX

"So you're sure there's no chance of saving the bone as-is?" JD asked.

Turk frowned at the x-ray and turned back to JD. "No, J-dog, I don't think so. Look, Dr. Yancey's one of the best. He insists that it'll be almost the same."

JD sighed and leaned his head back. "What kind of recovery time am I really looking at here, anyway?"

Turk nodded his head to the right once. "I don't know, man. I mean, you know the collarbone was just barely nicked. It was aimed more towards your neck, so you know that your shoulder should be fine in a couple of weeks-soreness aside, anyway."

JD nodded. "Pelvic bone?"

"You lucked out there too, dude," Turk went on and switched the x-rays. He gestured to the slight break in the edge of the pelvis. "It's more a hairline fracture then anything. They found that bullet near your spinal cord. You're damn lucky you can move at all."

"I know, Turk," JD replied, wanting to know more about the knee replacement.

Turk shoved the x-ray of JD's kneecap into the light screen and gestured over the shattered pieces of bone.

"The patella's almost completely gone, man. I'm sorry." Turk frowned at it, struggling to study it from a surgeon's point of view instead of looking at his best friend's knee. "I looked into it on the computer and asked Dr. Yancey about it. He'll be in to see you, but I thought you'd have questions. I won't say it's an easy procedure, but the research says, as well as Dr. Yancey, that recovery time is anywhere from a month to three."

"What about walking?"

"Good as new, is what they tell me," Turk went on and sat in the vacated spot. "Where'd Cox go? He's been like…living here."

"He went to visit with Jordan and Jack," JD said, trying not to feel left out. He missed the little guy too. "Back to my knee, Turk. How long will I not be able to walk?"

Turk rubbed his chin. "Dr. Yancey said it'd be about a week to three of no walking. After that, you'll have physical therapy until you're good as new."

JD nodded, feeling slightly better about replacing a bone in his body.

"Hey, man…can I ask you a question?" Turk asked seriously as he sat down on the side of the bed.

"Sure, dude, what's up?"

Turk pulled out his cell phone. "Since when did you go poof?"

"Man, I really don't need that from you right now," JD muttered. "Jeez, Perry's just recovering from…"

"You're calling him Perry? It's worse than I thought," Turk trailed off. "Look, man, I don't want to try and tell you how to…"

"Then don't, Turk."

"JD, just be careful. Look what's already happened to you over him. Remember all the other crap that's happened to you because of him. Just…just be careful."

"It's not his fault that some guy a few fries short of a happy meal took a few shots at me."

"Yeah, man…but you're dealing with it too now." He stood. "No one gets shot and comes back from it untouched."

"I'll deal when I can. Right now I just want to get out of this bed."

"Just know that Carla and I are here if you need to talk to anyone," Turk offered and punched JD's fist with his own. "See ya, Vanilla-bear."

"Later, chocolate-bear," JD replied and leaned against the pillows. The thought had occurred to him that being in the hospital for so long would only make it harder to face the empty parking lot later.

JD was already pretty sure he'd never look at it the same way again.

XXXXXXXXX

When Perry returned to the hospital with Jordan, JD was dozing in the bed. They stood together outside of the room, saying nothing at first.

"You going to get better soon?" Jordan asked mildly.

"Drop it."

"Touchy, touchy," she replied. "I'm honestly asking, Perry. Are you even going to try?"

"I am trying, Satan," Perry replied annoyingly.

Without looking at him, Jordan slipped her hands into the pockets of her blazer. "He really cares about you. You know that, don't you?"

Perry swallowed hard. "Jordan, can't you…"

"Don't you?" she asked again. "I'm doing a friend a favor, Perry. I'm due for one once a year. Help me out."

Feeling vaguely defeated, Perry crossed his arms. "Yeah. I do know."

"You care about him too?"

"I don't see where…"

"Perry, I may be seeing someone else, but that doesn't mean I can't bitch-slap you all the same. Do you care about him too?"

He glared at her, but she still didn't meet his gaze. "Yeah, alright?"

Jordan turned finally. "Then care enough about him to get better."

"I can't do it for him anymore then I could do it for you five years ago."

"Five years ago, it was still a mistake. Three years ago, we thought differently. Today, we know better."

"Can we not go into this right now, Bat-lady?"

"Either way, Perry, this kid really cares about you." She sighed and crossed her own arms as she kissed him lightly on the cheek. "And if someone took three bullets for me, I'd try and respect that fact a little more. If I knew I'd do the same, I'd take a second look at what I was feeling." She turned and began to walk away, but stopped to look at his impassive face. "And as macho as you like to think you are, you need him right now. Just remember that he needs you too."

Jordan walked to the elevator. Elliot stood inside of it with Jack balanced on her hip. Jordan took him from her quickly.

"So…" Elliot trailed off, slipping a hand into the pocket of her lab coat. "Would you take three for me?"

Jordan gave her a sharp glance. "Not on your life, blondie."

Elliot ignored the pang of hurt that rushed through her chest. "It's okay." She stared at the elevator doors.

The elevator dinged and Jordan began to walk away. She turned and caught the doors to lean into Elliot's head.

"I'd take two." Jordan turned and walked away before Elliot could say anything.

Elliot waited for the doors to close before she giggled like a teenager.

XXXXXXXXX

Perry entered JD's room quietly and took a seat beside his bed again. "You awake yet, Newbie?"

JD opened his eyes slowly and looked at Perry. "Not anymore." He shut his eyes again.

"Funny," Perry said with an irritated look on his face. "Look, Newbie, you know I'm not good at this stuff."

"It's all good in the hood, yo?" JD asked.

Perry could've kicked himself in laughter. "You're flying high as a kite, aren't you?"

"Highin' fly in the sky," JD said. "Skyin…flyin…yeah."

It was endearing at best, if a little tarnished by the fact Perry's own drug hadn't left his system yet.

"Thanks, Newbie," Perry said quietly. "For everything."

JD looked at him. "Jordan thinks I've got a crush on you, you know. She told me."

"Does she?"

Nodding solemnly, JD spread his fingers out in front of his face. "Yeah. She's gonna catch Josh for us so you can get better. Or so you'll let yourself get better."

Perry's smile dropped from his face and he stood. "Well, I'll let you sleep."

"No you won't," JD replied and grabbed a hold of Perry's wrist. "She thinks I've got a crush on you."

"You've said that."

JD gave a sunny grin, holding tightly onto Perry's wrist. "She's right."

Perry turned and looked at the kid. He really was flying high. Sighing, Perry sat back down as JD leaned his head back against the pillow.

"They're gonna take my kneecap out tomorrow," JD went on. "And put some metal clampy thingie in there."

"You'll be able to walk."

"Yeah. That'll be cool to walk again. I'm sick of this bed. But I don't want to go to the parking lot ever again."

"You'll have to eventually."

JD shook his head. "Nope. Not till they catch him so I can know that you're okay again."

Perry sighed and listened to JD ramble until he exhausted himself from talking and dozed against the pillow. He scooted the chair closer to the bed in his usual fashion and slipped Newbie's grip from his wrist to his hand.

"One of these days, Newbie." He leaned forward and brushed a kiss over JD's forehead.

JD's eyes opened again at the slight touch against his skin. He looked up curiously.

Before he could talk himself out of it, Perry slipped his mouth over JD's. He brought a free hand up to stroke his fingers down JD's cheek.

JD didn't move for a minute, and Perry began to wonder if Newbie had just been talking out of his ass again.

But then a hand was on his neck and a thumb was stroking the high bone of his cheek.

JD touched his tongue lightly to Perry's lips, struggling to memorize taste in his hazy mind. When Perry pulled away, JD kept a grip on his hand.

"You're not leaving tonight, are you?"

"No. I'm here tonight."

JD grinned sleepily. "When they catch him, you won't have to be afraid anymore. That'll be good."

"Yeah, Newbie." He watched JD's eyes slip shut in sleep. "One of these days."

Perry slept that night with a faint hope that maybe things would turn out alright in the long run.

XXXXXX

Someone shook his shoulders irately. Pulling his mind to the present, Perry realized that something was ringing in his ear. Struggling to pull himself awake, he shook his head.

His stomach immediately turned itself over into an icy ball as he realized what was ringing in his ear.

The high-pitched whine of the heart monitor had stopped it's incessant beeping.

Continues with Chapter 5